Something Is Badly Wrong with My Chameleon

[GabbyGums]

My Chameleon is a Veiled Chameleon, its a male thats entirely green. The Issue is that My Chameleon is rn currently experiencing an issue with the way he has walked and has been extremely wobbly, He also refuses to eat and Drink(I recently introduced him into watermelon which seems to be his favorite but he has also refused to eat that too meanwhile his daily meal has 5 crickets in every other day with calcium), He has a bulge eye and is struggling to balance + walk but also he is refusing to sleep in his enclosure unless he is out close to me or on me(Like very comfortable fluffy plushies which he'll sleep on or on my hand during day time which then I did an all-nighter to let him sleep on a plush during night but this still keeps happening and idk why). What I think he has is constipation due to not pooping in awhile which concerns me. I took him to the vet but they said that he had parasites but after doing an complete examine since the last time he pooped, it was confirmed that he didn't have any parasites. Can anyone help me or know whats wrong or what he has?

 

[Thatcher]

My Chameleon is a Veiled Chameleon, its a male thats entirely green. The Issue is that My Chameleon is rn currently experiencing an issue with the way he has walked and has been extremely wobbly, He also refuses to eat and Drink(I recently introduced him into watermelon which seems to be his favorite but he has also refused to eat that too meanwhile his daily meal has 5 crickets in every other day with calcium), He has a bulge eye and is struggling to balance + walk but also he is refusing to sleep in his enclosure unless he is out close to me or on me(Like very comfortable fluffy plushies which he'll sleep on or on my hand during day time which then I did an all-nighter to let him sleep on a plush during night but this still keeps happening and idk why). What I think he has is constipation due to not pooping in awhile which concerns me. I took him to the vet but they said that he had parasites but after doing an complete examine since the last time he pooped, it was confirmed that he didn't have any parasites. Can anyone help me or know whats wrong or what he has?

First of all you should never feed your chameleons anything but bugs, secondly please post pics of your cham and his enclosure

 

[Thatcher]

@Beman @kinyonga @MissSkittles

 

[GabbyGums]

First of all you should never feed your chameleons anything but bugs, secondly please post pics of your cham and his enclosure

I was told by the vets to feed him a few pieces watermelon without seeds to get him hydrated on the last visit. The Hammock is new and the fogger + water thingy is recent cause I got it today to help out with humanity and etc, I mist him every hour in 2-5 minutes. The Branches and Leafs arent new but I'm planning to replace it. I decided to get the hammock today to help with his sleep but I'm keeping an close eye making sure he doesn't fall

 

[DocZ]

Welcome to the forum. There’s lots of experienced keepers here that may be able to help you with your chameleon. It’s symptoms are very concerning

Frequently health issues come from problems with husbandry. If you fill out this form, it will supply more information for folks to understand you situation

Also include photos of your entire enclosure from lights on top down

How to ask for help

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[GabbyGums]

Welcome to the forum. There’s lots of experienced keepers here that may be able to help you with your chameleon. It’s symptoms are very concerning

Frequently health issues come from problems with husbandry. If you fill out this form, it will supply more information for folks to understand you situation

Also include photos of your entire enclosure from lights on top down

How to ask for help

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

My Chameleon species is above but his age is him being months old according to the petstore, It has just been a few months in my care after the petstore. The Often I handle him, assuming holding it, isnt often but its whenever he comes out of the enclosure himself or whenever its a cleaning day. His Feeding is described above, He eats 5 crickets in each and every other day they are dusted and also they eat and drink these calcium vitamins you can find next to the cricket keepers in the pet store, they were given the ideal type by employees and the forum itself. Watering is almost daily which he recently gotten an auto-water for his leafs to help him drink better but I still mist almost as daily for 2-5 minutes. I saw him drink before the whole thing happen to the point he stopped drinking. The Chameleon was tested for parasites and it was confirmed that he doesn't have any. History is unknown while the cage has a picture above, Humidity is at 50 but it changes to a higher humidly at night meanwhile Temperature also changes between night and day but its staying in a pretty hot category due to his lightning for him but the heat will die down in the night for him to rest. Placement is next to another animal's tank but they have no contact of each other and its separate and their both in two different terrariums unable to get to each other since one is glass and the other isnt.

 

[kinyonga]

Please post a couple more photos of the chameleon without the screen in the way. I want to see,the whole chameleon from the side.

 

[kinyonga]

Does your chameleon have tarsal spurs on its heels?
You need to be more specific with all your answers to the questions about your chameleons husbandry...what lights specifically do you use? Is ther a UVB light no which one is it...compact or long liner, brand etc. Supplements...brand names, do they contain D3, phos, form of vitamin A, phosphorous?

 

[GabbyGums]

Please post a couple more photos of the chameleon without the screen in the way. I want to see,the whole chameleon from the side.

Got it!
Note: Look closely at one of his legs to anyone viewing this, the legs on the second photo. There is something wrong with it which idk if I pointed it out in the post, I saw the way he walked before the vet but the vet didn't question it nor told me anything despite me questioning.

 

[kinyonga]

Can you please post one more photo of its right arm. The shadow is making it hard to see. Looks like it has MBD.
Can you post one that shows the back of the heel too.

 

[GabbyGums]

Does your chameleon have tarsal spurs on its heels?
You need to be more specific with all your answers to the questions about your chameleons husbandry...what lights specifically do you use? Is ther a UVB light no which one is it...compact or long liner, brand etc. Supplements...brand names, do they contain D3, phos, form of vitamin A, phosphorous?

If I'm correct he does but I gotta recheck to make sure. The Lights he uses is a UVB lightning and heating kit made by Zoo Med but I'm deciding to replace that into something better but meanwhile his heating UVB is similar. The supplements is a Calcium Cricket diet for them to consume and given to the Chameleon made by Flukers which one hilds Crude protein, Crude Fat and Fiber while the other one contains Vitamin A and Phosphorous meanwhile the one with the crickets being sprinkled on is made by Zoo Med which contains calcium and Vitamin D.

 

[GabbyGums]

Can you please post one more photo of its right arm. The shadow is making it hard to see. Looks like it has MBD.
Can you post one that shows the back of the heel too.

I'll try to get the back part of the heel but the issue is that he's to low to the ground with his feet mushed up and wont stand up.

 

[kinyonga]

This will help with the heels...



Please take photos of the lights and the supplements...you're still not making things clear enough for me to help you properly.
Also...you're not leaving any lights on at night, are you?

 

[DocZ]

I’m going to see what we’ve got here

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - A veiled chameleon. Male (?), pictures of the posterior part of the back feet will show tarsal spurs on male Veiled’s. Age (?) appears less than a year
• Handling - sounds like some. Keep in mind handling can cause stress for them. Them sleeping on you during the day is not normal behavior and a sign of stress
• Feeding - your Cham gets 5 crickets daily. You are gutloading with some sort of commercial cricket product. Is it a gel cube?

Variety is key in their diet. Attached is a graphic of desirable feeders for your Cham. Also your bugs are what they eat. The better their nutrition the better the nutrition will be for your Cham. The next graphic recommends how you should feed your bugs. Feeder variety and feeder nutrition is essential to proper care

• Supplements - I am unclear what you’re dusting with. Can you show pictures of your supplements and how often you use each one please
• Watering - You hand mist mist days and you have an automatic waterer of some kind. Is it a dripper or an automatic mister?

You’ve seen it drink, but not recently. Hydration is essential. If you’re hand misting, make sure it’s daily. Once in the morning and once in the evening is a good start. If you’re running a dripper during the day, that’s great too

• Fecal Description - Your vet has tested your Chams stool samples and found no parasites, is that correct?
• History -

Not eating or drinking
Not pooping
Has a bulge on one eye? Both eyes?
Wobbly gait when it walks and balance problems

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? No info here
• Lighting - Is this your light fixture with a heat lamp and a UVB bulb in it?
  
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Do you have measured temps? How are you measuring them?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? How are you measuring humidity? 50% and higher at night is a good start. This is essential to maintaining hydration. 75-100% at night is ideal
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Lots of live plants is ideal. Since Veiled Chams are known to munch on plants, no plastic plants should be included
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? No info here
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive. Give us more details
2. Photos can be very helpful. Photos of the entire enclosure including the lighting. Photos of the posterior portion of the Chams back feet

I think more information is important for us to help. Please be as detailed as possible

 

[GabbyGums]

This will help with the heels...



Please take photos of the lights and the supplements...you're still not making things clear enough for me to help you properly.
Also...you're not leaving any lights on at night, are you?

I’m going to see what we’ve got here

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - A veiled chameleon. Male (?), pictures of the posterior part of the back feet will show tarsal spurs on male Veiled’s. Age (?) appears less than a year
• Handling - sounds like some. Keep in mind handling can cause stress for them. Them sleeping on you during the day is not normal behavior and a sign of stress
• Feeding - your Cham gets 5 crickets daily. You are gutloading with some sort of commercial cricket product. Is it a gel cube?

Variety is key in their diet. Attached is a graphic of desirable feeders for your Cham. Also your bugs are what they eat. The better their nutrition the better the nutrition will be for your Cham. The next graphic recommends how you should feed your bugs. Feeder variety and feeder nutrition is essential to proper care
View attachment 318574View attachment 318575

• Supplements - I am unclear what you’re dusting with. Can you show pictures of your supplements and how often you use each one please
• Watering - You hand mist mist days and you have an automatic waterer of some kind. Is it a dripper or an automatic mister?

You’ve seen it drink, but not recently. Hydration is essential. If you’re hand misting, make sure it’s daily. Once in the morning and once in the evening is a good start. If you’re running a dripper during the day, that’s great too

• Fecal Description - Your vet has tested your Chams stool samples and found no parasites, is that correct?
• History -

Not eating or drinking
Not pooping
Has a bulge on one eye? Both eyes?
Wobbly gait when it walks and balance problems

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? No info here
• Lighting - Is this your light fixture with a heat lamp and a UVB bulb in it? View attachment 318577
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Do you have measured temps? How are you measuring them?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? How are you measuring humidity? 50% and higher at night is a good start. This is essential to maintaining hydration. 75-100% at night is ideal
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Lots of live plants is ideal. Since Veiled Chams are known to munch on plants, no plastic plants should be included
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? No info here
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive. Give us more details
2. Photos can be very helpful. Photos of the entire enclosure including the lighting. Photos of the posterior portion of the Chams back feet

I think more information is important for us to help. Please be as detailed as possible

I know about the Handling part, I leave it alone 24/7 but this chameleon tends to walk onto ppl's hands whenever it wants to go out of the enclosure but the chameleon will climb ontop of hair and just sit on it. This chameleon is overall friendly but I know its stress signs 24/7, I know about the whole day thingy. When I saw it first happen I knew something was off which is why I had to most likely pull an All-Nighter figuring out whats going on with him meanwhile he can sleep on something comfortable for the night with supervision since this was my first time seeing this before vet visit. For the feeding thingy, if I'm correct it does look similar to gel but I wish I can take a good picture but you gonna need to wait until its day over here for better lightning. The Chameleon ate a few watermelon without seeds but mostly had some leafy greens that both was assigned by towards the Vet. The Auto-waterer simulates a like dripper for him, but theres an fogger that helps auto-mist the terrarium for extra water and helping him Shed. Cage type has a picture, Lightning is that and for both Humanity(50 and above) and Temperature(80+ meanwhile for night it gets to 73) there is two of each making it four, in charge of keeping track of day and night's schdule of the Chameleon's habitat making sure its the correct type for day and night routines. I'm planning to get rid of the plastic plants but in temporary while we look for some good ones, we had leafy greens that acted as plants for him to munch on but honestly I'd never seen him try to eat the plastic plants but either way I am replacing it. Placement is high up-ish its not tall as me due to being an tall person myself and due to because the enclosure is next to another enclosure that is glass and their on a really large drawer set. I rather not say my Location.
The Current problem is the history mostly.

 

[GabbyGums]

This will help with the heels...



Please take photos of the lights and the supplements...you're still not making things clear enough for me to help you properly.
Also...you're not leaving any lights on at night, are you?

You'll need to wait for like good pictures during morning time cause its like dark down here but someone got the correct light pictures below/above/idk. Nope, I am not leaving anything on during night. For Days, the light is on but eventually once it becomes night then mostly everything is off.

 

[Sonny13]

I'll try to get the back part of the heel but the issue is that he's to low to the ground with his feet mushed up and wont stand up.

Seeing the pictures, I’m 95% sure your Cham has MBD, especially his right front leg and right back leg. That why he doesn’t stand up, his legs are deformed.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-like-how-it-happens-and-how-to-fix-it.95071/

 

[GabbyGums]

Seeing the pictures, I’m 95% sure your Cham has MBD, especially his right front leg and right back leg. That why he doesn’t stand up, his legs are deformed.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-like-how-it-happens-and-how-to-fix-it.95071/

But that doesn't make sense, His UVB lights are the same and he got alot of calcium. I know when the petstore had him, he didn't but once I adopted him then I gave him more and more calcium to help him. So just in case with UVB, is there a way to fix the rays?

 

[Sonny13]

Assuming you got the right lightning, seeing the only picture of the enclosure, that’s guessing that her basking spot is too low in the enclosure, therefore the UVB exposure isn’t sufficient enough.

Please make some really good pictures from your enclosure with lights and your Cham, so @DocZ and @kinyonga can help you. They’re really helpful and experienced. Help is really needed if you care for this Cham and without full information and good pictures we‘re only guessing at what we’re assuming to see.

 

[suprdude]

Could your UVB light be defective? The only way to know for sure is with a light meter.